Fluid controlled valve



March 28, 1944.

, .1. B. VAN DER WERFF FLUID CONTROLLED VALVE Filed Feb. 24. 1942 pressures. V and arrangement makes it possible to use light weight valve operating means whether said means ,is manually operated or operated with an electricalor other prime mover,'in which latter case Patented Mar. 28, 1944' 'UlSllTED STATES PATENT OFFICE" FLUlD CONTROLLED vALvE Jacob B. Van Der Werfl, Pasadena, Calif.) assignor to Adel Precision Products Com, a corporation of California Application February 24, 1942,. Serial No. $32,148-

6 Claims. (or 137- 139) This invention relates to improvements in control valves for hydraulically actuated equipment of aircraft.

The primary object of my invention is to pifovide an improved fluid controlled valve which will reduce thecontrol valve handle load and the operating load, also the equipment and installation loads in a hydraulic system for aircraft, to such extent that higher operating pressures may be elilciently used with a consequent advantageous,

reduction in the size and weight of the component elements of the system.

Another object of my invention is to provide a valve of the character described which includes a main valve and a smaller pilot valve wherein the lifting or opening force for the main valve is effected by the operating fluid when the pilot valve, which opens responsive to a small externally derived force (manual or from an electrical or other prime mover), is lifted from its seat by means of associated valve operating means. This arrangement makes it possible to readily and easily open the main valve at will with but a small force under allilow conditions of the operating fluid even though the valve is pressure seated in a system employing extremely high operating In addition, this valve construction the prime mover could be of light weight and lower-power.

A further object of my invention-is to provide a fluid pressure controlled valve unit of the character described in-which the fluid will cushion the closing of the main valve so as to prevent severe hydraulic shock loads sometimes occasioned in I pressure seated valves.

Another object of my'invention is to provide a valve of the character described in which wear compensating adjustment and adjustments as to the timing of the valves may be readily and easily effected by simply axially adjusting the valve cage in the valve body.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in the parts and in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

' Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a valve unit embodying my invention;

' the body and cage register.

Fi 2' is a sectional view taken on the line 22oi H8. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing more'speciflcally, one

embodiment of my invention includes a valve body I having a valve receiving bore 5, a pressure fluid intake port C and anoutlet port I. which ports open into the bore at axially spaced points.

A tubular valve cage 8' is axially adiustably mounted in the bore 5 and has a screw threaded outer end 9 cooperating with screw threads I in the outer end of said bore, the cage otherwise having a close lit with the bore. A look nut ll holds the cage in the desired positl'omof adjustment. A flanged externally threaded cap 12 closes the outer end of the cage, there being a sealing ring l31between the flange of the-cap and the outer end of the cage.

' At axially spaced points between the ends of the cage are intake and outlet ports l4 and I5 respectively registering with the intake and outlet ports 6 and l of the body.

Sealing rings l6 of circular cross section are carried by'the cage in grooves l1 therein and engage the wall of the bore 5 adjacent and on opposite sides of the points where the ports 01' Between the ports H and IS the cage is provided with an internal annular valve seat I! 7 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Extending through the center 01' the pistonfl, valve stem 20, main valve, l9 and a tubularinward extension 24 on said. valve, is a passag 25 opening into the cage below the valve and into the space abovethe piston. Between the ends of the passage 25 is an annular seat 26 for a frustroconical pilot valve 21, having a stem 28 sliclably engaged in said passage and formed with an an ular, cross section to permit iree flow of fluid past it in the passage 25. On itstouter end the stem 28 is provided with a flanged spring retaining disk 29101 a spring 3| which abutsrthe cap l2 and exerts a seating force on the pilot valve and also on the main valve when the pilot valve is seated.

Valve operating means including a cam shaft 3| and a push rod 32 are provided for initially opening the pilot and completing theopening action of the main valve. As here shown the cam shaft 3| is mounted to rotate in a bore 33 which intersects the inner end of the bore 5 in the body 4, said cam shaft bore being sealed by means of a sealing ring 34 and held in place by means of a plate 35. A cam 36 on the shaft 3| operates the push rod 32 which'latter has a sealed and slid-' ing flt in the closed end 31 of the valve cage.

An expansible sealing ring 39 and a metal crowd ing ring 39' surrounds the push rod so that the operating pressure will cause-the crowding ring tqexpandthe expansible ring and provide an effective seal.

'valve by the pressure of operating fluid when the pilot valve is closed, yet permit operating fluid to lift the main valve when the pilot valve is opened, there is provided a-small bleed or bypass port '40 which allows operating fluid between the valve l9 and the piston 2| to pass into the passage 25 above the point where the pilot valve is seated therein. Eluid thus introduced into the I passage 25 will flow past the stem 28 through the piston -2| and into an auxiliary chamber 4| formed in the outer end of the cage between said piston and the cap l2. It is obvious at this point that the bleed or bypass port 40 could extend through the piston to directly communicate with the spaces on opposite sides of the piston instead of opening into .passage 25. The annular space in the cage between the valve l3 and exterior of the piston 2|, into which space the intake port |4 opens, constitutes the main pressure chamber 42. Pressure fluid entering the chamber 4| from the bleed port-40 will produce a fluid pressure in chamber 4| equal or substantially equal to that in the chamber 42, whereupon the effective pres-' sure inthe two chambers causes the valve II to be seated.

It is now seen that when the pressure flu'id beyond the piston in the auxiliary chamber 4| is substantially equal to that of the fluid in the main pressure chamber 42 in which the valve l0 and its seat are located, the valve will be pressure seated. However, when the pilot valve 21 is opened and the pressure inethe auxiliary chamber 4| is reduced below that in the main pressure chamber 42, the piston will be moved outwardly to unseat the main valve.

Upon operating the cam shaft 3| for opening the pilot valve 21, the end 32' of the push rod 32 engages and un'seats the pilot valve before the shoulder 32" engages the extension 24 and unseats the main valve'll. Upon this unseating of the pilot valve, pressure' fluid will escape from the auxiliary chamber 4| through the seat 24 y and passage 25 into the low pressure or outlet chamber 43 .at a rate faster than the rate of flow of pressure fluid into chamber 4| through the small port 4|, due to the differential areas of these flow channels, thereby reducing the pressure in chamber 4| below that in chamber 42.

When this pressure reduction takes place, the piston 2| will be moved by the fluid pressure in 76 take and outlet ports chamber 42 to lift the main valve from its seat; The purpose of the shoulder 32" is to continue the opening movement of the main valve, after the pressure effected opening thereof, by direct contact withthe valve extension 24, and this prevents the valve from. reaching an equilibrium position under fluid actuation somewhat below or less than the open position desired.

Provision is made'for discharge of the fluid from the passage 25 through a side port 44 when the shoulder 32" engages the lower end of the tubular valve extension 24 and otherwise closes the passage 25 therein.

After the main valve I9 is unseated by means of the pressure fluid, the pressure of the fluid in the auxiliary chamber 4| is restored by the flow I of fluid thereto through passage 25 and portso that it substantially equals the pressure in chamber 42 with the 'result that the main valve becomes balanced. This takes place in consideration of the continued lifting movement of the push rod 32 past the point at which the pilot valve is initially opened sufficiently to cause the bleeding of the main valve seating pressure fluid from auxiliary chamber 4|. The continued lifting movement of course moves the shoulder so that the valve is mechanically lifted into fully opened position following its initial fluid-effectedlifting movement. -As the valve I9 is balanced immediately following the unseating thereof by the fluid, the continued mechanical lifting may be effected with little or no force due'to 'the equilibrium condition thus attained.

It is seen that when the shoulder 32" is engaged with the extension 24 of the valve Is, the pilot valve 29 will be held open by the reduced end 32' of the push rod 32 and therefore as long as the mechanical lifting means for the valve is held in a predetermined valve opening position the pilot valve and main valve will be held open.

It should be noted thatwhen the cam shaft 3| is actuated to release the pilot and main valves, the spring 30 effects the closing of the pilot valve before the main valve closes because of the restricted displacement flow from the chamber 42 into chamber 4|. However, when the pilot valve is seated the spring tends to seat the main valve but this valve can then only be seated at a rate determined by the rate of displacement of fluid from the main pressure chamber 42 through the small bleed port 40 into' chamber 4| and consequently a hydraulic cushioning 5 action is provided to eliminate severe hydraulic shock loads on the main valve inclosing.

Attention is called to the fact that the particular valve cage and valve arrangement hereofafiords wear compensating adjustments of the valve port; and regulation of the valve action by means ofaxially adjusting the cage in the valve receiving bore 5. The threaded connection of the cage with the valve body and the lock nut on the cage make it possible to readily and easily eflect thedesired adjustment of the cage and valve ports for the purpose above mentioned.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention I do not limit myself to the exact details of construction set forth, and the invention embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents of the parts and their for- I mation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a fluid controlled valve, a valve body having a bore therein and provided-with fluid inleadirg into said bore at axially spaced points, a tubular valve cage mounted in said bore and having an open outer end and a closed inner end and axially spaced intake and outlet openings intermediate its ends registering 'with said intake and outlet ports, sealing means to prevent leakage between said bore and said cage, a cap closing the open end of said cage, a valve seat in said cage between said intake and outlet openings, a fluid pressure seated main valve for cooperating with said seat, a cylinder portion in said cage, a piston reciprocable in said cylinder portion, a tubular stem connecting said piston with said valve so as to deflne between the valve and the piston .a main pressure chamber at all times open to said fluid intake opening, there being an auxiliary chamber between the piston and. the cap, a passage iording communication independent of said main chamber, between said auxiliary chamber and said outlet opening when the main valve is closed,

extending through the piston and valve for afa pilot valve controlling said passage, a spring operative to seat said pilot valve and being inefl'ective to urge the main valve toward its seat when the pilot valve is opened, a bleed port in the piston and valve assembly aifording the passage of pressure'fluid fromthe main pressure chamber to the auxiliary chamber when the pilot valve and the main valve are closed, and means initially operable for opening the pilot valve and thereafter operable to open the main valve.

2. In a fluid controlled valve, a valve body having a main chamber for intaking operating fluid under pressure, an auxiliary chamber and a fluid outlet chamber, a pressure seated main valve for controlling the flow of operating fluid from the main chamber into the outlet chamber,

fluid responsive means which, when the fluid tween said'main and auxiliary chambers-when the main valve and the pilot valve are. closed, to substantially equalize the fluid pressures in the main and auxiliary chambers, valve operating means initially operable to open the pilot valve and then lift the unseated main valve and maintain said valves in open position and also movable to release said valves; a spring operating against the pilot valve for urging it toward its seat, said bleed port being 01 such small diameter as to restrict the flow of fluid therethrough into the auxiliary chamber to a rate less than the rate otoutflow oi fluid from the auxiliary chamber when the pilot valve is opened; and a tubular valve cage mounted in said body and having a main valve seat between its ends and completely housing said fluid responsive means. said valves and said passage; said cage together with said'valve seat and fluid responsive means defining the said main, auxiliary and outlet chambers.

3. In a fluid controlled valve, a valve body having a main chamber for intaking operating fluid under pressure, an auxiliary chamber and a sage, a bleed port affording communication bevalve for controlling the flow of operating fluid 7 from the main chamber into the outlet chamber, fluid responsive means, which, when the fluid pressures in said main and auxiliary chambers are substantially equal, causes the eflective pressures to seat the mainvalve, said fluid respon-- sive means operating when the pressure in the auxiliary chamber is reduced below that in the main chamber to unseat the main valve, a passage affording communication between the auxiliary chamber and the fluid outlet chamber when said main valve is closed, a pilot valve for controlling the flow of fluid through said passage, a bleed port afiording communication between said main and auxiliary chambers when the main valve and the pilot valve are closed, to substantially equalize the fluid pressures in the main and auxiliary chambers, valve operating means initially operable to open the pilot valve and then lift the unseated main valve and maintain said valves in open position and also movable, to release said valves; a spring operating against the pilot valve for urging it toward its seat, said bleed portbeing of such small diameter as to restrict the flow,of fluid therethrough into the auxiliary chamber to a rate less than the rate of outflow of fluid from the auxiliary chamber when the pilot valve is opened; a tubular valve cage mounted in said body for axial adjustment therein and having a main valve seat between-its ends and housing said fluid responsive means.

said cage together with said valve seat and fluid responsive means defining the said main, auxiliary and outlet chambers; and means providing for axial adjustment of said cage in said body to change the relative positions of the main and pilot valves and said valve operating means for regulating the operation of said valves.

4. In a hydraulic valve, a valve body having a bore therein and fluid intake and outlet ports opening at axially spaced points into said bore. a tubular cage axially adjustably mounted in 'said bore and having its inner end closed, a cap closing the outer end of said cage sealing rings carried by and movable with the cage upon axial adjustment thereof, said cage having intake and outlet openings between its ends registering with said intake and outlet ports respectively, valvular means in said cage operative to control the flow of fluid through the cage and being movable in entirety therewith upon axial adjustment of the cage, said valvular means including relatively movable valves, a push rod means for actuating said valves slidable freely through the closed inner end of the cage and extended into said bore. means in said bore for moving said push rod means into and out of operative contact with said valves, and means providing for axially ad- Justing said cage relative to said body to vary the position of the valves relative to said push rod means for regulating the action of said valvular means.

fluid outlet chamber, a pressure seated main means within said cage and against said immclosed end; means in said bore for moving said push rod means into and out of operative contact with said valves, said cage having circumferential grooves therein, sealing rings carried in said grooves and operative to prevent leakage between said bore and said cage and means providing for axial adjustment of said cage relative to said bore to vary the position of the valves relative to said push rod means for regulating the operation of said valves.

6. In a hydraulic valve, a valve body having a bore therein and provided at points axially spaced apart between the ends of said bore with fluid intake and outlet ports extending circum ferentially therein; a tubular valve cage mounted in said bore and provided between its ends with a plurality'of radial intake openings and a plurality of radial outlet openings registering with and at all times opening into the intake and outlet ports respectively, an end wall closing the inner end of said tubular cage, closure means in the outer end of said cage, sealing means carried by the cage and circumferentially engaging the wall of the bore in the valve body on opposite sides of said ports, an annular valve seat in said can between the intake openings and the outlet openings therein, a main valve seated on said seat and having one side at all times directly exposed to the pressure of the fluid passing through games said radialintake openings, a tubular stem extending from said side of said valve toward said,

outer end of said bore and terminating at a point beyond said radial intake openings, a piston on the outer-end of saidstem having a working fit in said cage and provided with an axial opening registering with the bore of said stem, 9, spring interposed between said closure means and said piston to urge said valve against its seat; said piston, cage, valve and stem defining an annular pressure chamber in said cage between said side of said valve and said piston, with said chamber at all times aiiorded direct communication through said intake openings with said circum- Ierential intake port; said cage, closure means and piston defining an auxiliary chamber be; tween the pistonand said closure means, a port affording communication through the piston of the annular chamber with said auxiliary chamber; saidend wall, cage and valve defining an outlet chamber in said cage, said valve having a passage extending axially therethrough afiording communication through the bore of said stem of said outlet chamber and said auxiliary chamber, valvular means for controlling the flow of fluid through said passage, and means for operating said valvular means. v

JACOB B. VAN DER WERFF'. 

